Hail, United 2.0

The Stoke versus Manchester United Capital One Cup quarterfinal match on Wednesday had a little weather excitement when torrential hail littered the pitch around the 30^th minute, forcing both teams to the dressing rooms.

I wrote a little about this shortly after the delay happened, but I bring it up again only so I can post this cool Action Images photo of United’s Danny Welbeck driving through a couple of Stoke defenders while everyone was being peppered in the puss by freezing, screaming hail.

-- hail --

A Rainout Blog Hall of Fame? Yes… let’s do this

How about we start a Rainout Blog Sports/Weather Hall of Fame?

Not just me, all of us. You, too.

I’ve been thinking about doing this project for a while, ever since I made a post about Rick Dempsey way back in July, 2007.

So, what makes a Rainout Blog Hall of Famer? I’ve been wrestling with that question for a while.

(Warning: Here goes a lot rambling…)

At first, I was thinking of individuals who have had outstanding performances in a bad weather games. While his performances did not happen while games were in play, Dempsey certainly made his mark performing on soaked tarps during rain delays.

To me, the notoriety Dempsey received for his acts make him a first-ballot Rainout Blog Hall of Famer. Also, I think we need to give Dempsey credit for the rash of rain delay antics we saw a few years ago by college baseball games. With those 1970s performances, we may not have seen those elaborate, choreographed acts performed by want-to-be thespian college ball players. 

So, we’ve established that qualifications for entry into the RoBHoF are not exclusive to great on-field game performances. If a player, or coach, or fan, or whomever – how about a horse? Sure! – performs in a manner that is widely recognized, then that person, or whatever, can be considered for induction. 

A performance that is good or bad, right?

Right.

That brings us to Leon Lett. 

Remember Lett’s gaffe in the snow during in the 1993 Thanksgiving Day game that snatched defeat for his Cowboys from the jowls of victory? Of course you remember. We all remember.

I’m not comparing the moment to far more significant historic events, but I remember exactly where I was when the play happened.

For that one play in the snow, an unusual snow game for Texas Stadium, Lett is a Rainout Blog Hall of Famer. 

First ballot? We’ll debate that later.

So, who else? Hmmm. 

We’ll, LeShean McCoy had more than 200 yards rushing to lead the Eagles to a win over the Lions in blizzard-like conditions a couple of weeks ago. Does that qualify? 

Maybe.

It was great day for McCoy, but is it his performance that stands out about that game?

No. It’s the snow.

Ok. So, do we induct events/games in to the hall of fame?

If so, the Ice Bowl has to be the leading candidate. And when I think of weather games, I immediately think of the Fog Bowl playoff game at Soldier Field in 1988. There are many, many others to consider.

If I’m going to do this, take the time for such an uber fun project as creating a sports/weather hall of fame, it’s going to take a lot of time, thought and research. 

Wanna help? 

If you have suggestions or creative ideas for the project, I’ll gladly accept. Send me an email or tweet (@TheRealChadOz).

Corner flood

The header atop this video claims this is the "worst conditions for a corner kick ever."

Really?

Could there not be worse conditions for this Kazakhstan first division league match between Ekibastuz and Alamaty? What if the field suddenly caught fire? They'd postpone the match, you say? Well, they certainly didn't deem a corner flooded to Biblical proportions postponement worthy here.

How about if a group of tigers suddenly ran onto the pitch and sat right on the corner, waiting for a brave footballer to dare set the ball down in their newly proclaimed domain?

Get my point? This probably isn’t the worst conditions for a corner kick, but tell me: What the heck is going on here?

After some cool soccer-style ingenuity, two players – I don't know which team – managed to kick the ball out of the more-than-ankle-deep water and into play. But wouldn't you know it, some goofball sends the ball sailing right back into the lake.

Beautiful!

That's the kind of stuff that used to happen in the backyards of my neighborhood in the 80s.  

No one is making it rain in Manchester

If you're stuck in the office today, like me, keeping track of the Manchester United vs. Real Madrid Champions League match today on your computer and wondering to yourself, "Hmmmm, is weather playing factor at Old Trafford today? Will Renaldo slip and fall on his arse?"

These are good questions to ask because for about month, it seemed like every time I tuned the TV to a Premier League match, snow or rain, or both, were falling from the sky and soaking the pitch. So it's reasonable to think there's a good chance of precipitation for today's match.

In reality, however, there's only a six percent chance of rain according to the Manchester weather forecast, with temperatures dipping to about 44.

#gounited

Miami (Not the Counting Crows song)

Hey there, all you readers of The Rainout Blog.

Have you missed me?

You know, I've closed this blog more times than I can count.

Don't get me wrong, I love coming to this space and writing short, little posts about the rainy, muddy, snow, foggy, whatever action in a given particular sport – especially baseball – but with a family, a long-flippin' commute and that place that employs me – I'm very grateful; thank you employer – I miss out on a lot of sports weather items.

It seems I'm really busiest with personal commitments when big events – you know, like hurricane and blizzards – occur.

And days like today, when I have a few minutes of free time to write, what do we have? The BCS title game… in Miami.

Nothing weathery – is that a word? – to report from Miami, although I did hear some radio personality this morning say there was a slight drizzle. And a quick check on Weather.com shows a 20 percent chance of rain for tonight. Dandy!

A big part of the appeal, if there is one, of The Rainout Blog is not my words, of course, but the spectacular sports weather-related photos I swipe gather from the Internet. I'm guessing if any rain falls on the turf in Miami tonight, it will not be enough to make for outstanding, must-see sports weather photography.

It'l be nothing that'll make you say, "I gotta check The Rainout Blog."

But, if we're lucky, there will be enough of a rain to produce a lovely beaded coating on those blinding, golden dome Notre Dame helmets.

By the way, I know you've been begging for my pick of tonight's game, so here goes: Notre Dame will play like a champion today tonight and roll over the Tide (corny), 22-9.

I Would Pay to See a Kick Returned in a Hurricane

Oops!

Oh, no!

Not again!

Come on, Cromartie, you @#$%!

Those are just a few words and phrases Jets fans, I’m sure, have used while watching their team’s normally reliable kick returners cough up the pigskin to the opposition this season.

It’s happened four strait games now following rookie Jeremy Kerley’s ball-belching gaffe against Washington Sunday that led to a Redskins score. The Jets have fumbled away six return chances this season thanks to the uncertain hands of Kerley, Antonio Cromartie and Joe McKnight.

With the Jets most likely needing to win their four remaining games for a chance at the playoffs, Coach Rex Ryan has decided to go with the sure-handed Jim Leonard on kick returns, particularly as the season moves into the potentially harsh winter months of December and January.

Leonard may not – who are we kidding? Does not – have the speed of the aforementioned returners, but Ryan has confidence in Leonard’s ability to secure the ball under any circumstances, even severe storms.

“As I mentioned before, he can catch it in a hurricane,” Ryan said in a press conference of his sure-handed return man. “This time of year, the weather has a tendency to pick up, the wind and all those types of things. I just, right now, would feel more comfortable having Jim Leonhard back there. I know Westy (special teams coach Mike Westhoff) and I feel the same way. I think that’s how we’re going to go."

Photo: Getty Images

'Cats Freeze Out Black Bears

Perhaps you heard already – this game was played Saturday – that the University of New Hampshire and University of Maine played in blizzard-like conditions at Maine’s Alfond Stadium. Who won? Who cares? It was a snow game. Well, ok. New Hampshire won, but that’s irrelevant. The snow is the news here, people. Without it, most of the country would not have known this game was played. (AP Photo/Michael C. York)

Hazy in Huskieville

It's a bit foggy in DeKalb, Ill., tonight, and the fog is not working as a home field advantage for Northern Illinois. The homestanding Huskies trail Central Michigan 30-6 with 2:50 to play in the third quarter. No photos have hit the Web yet, but I'm sure plenty of pics will pop up soon. Hey, instead of waiting for me to post photos of the fog fest, why not watch the live action on ESPN 2?

Update: Northern Illinois just put eight points on the board with a touchdown and two-point conversion. The Huskies trail now 30-14 and just recovered an onsides kick with seconds to play in the third frame.

Update II: The fog is getting thick enough to force ESPN 2 to use field-level cameras instead of the traditional broad shot. If the atmospheric conditions aren't enough excitement, the hometown Huskies are making a heck of a comeback, trailing 30-27 midway through fourth quarter.